The present application relates to an input apparatus for operating a GUI (Graphical User Interface), a control apparatus for controlling the GUI based on information output from the input apparatus, a control system including those apparatuses, and a control method therefor.
Pointing devices, particularly a mouse and a touchpad, are used as controllers for GUIs widely used in PCs (Personal Computers). Not just as HIs (Human Interfaces) of PCs as in related art, the GUIs are now starting to be used as an interface for AV equipment and game devices used in living rooms etc. with, for example, televisions as image media. Various pointing devices that a user is capable of operating 3-dimensionally are proposed as controllers for the GUIs of this type (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-56743 and Japanese Patent No. 3,748,483).
Because the pointing devices of these types are operated 3-dimensionally, hand movements become a problem. For correcting hand movements, there is means for removing, from output signals of sensors that detect an operational movement of a user, a frequency corresponding to the hand movement using a band limiter (see, for example, Japanese Patent No. 3,506,878 (paragraphs [0060] and [0062]); hereinafter, referred to as Patent Document 3). Patent Document 3 discloses an example where the band limiter removes frequencies ranging from 0.5 to 15 Hz, for example.
There are other operation methods for pointing devices. For example, there is disclosed an example where letters are input by a user moving a pen-type input apparatus while holding it like a pen (see, for example, patent Document 3).
As described above, there are various operation forms for a pointing device. Therefore, it is considered that there are suitable relationships between a velocity of the pointing device and a velocity of a pointer on a screen that a user feels higher operability depending on the operation form.
In view of the circumstances as described above, there is a need for an easy-to-operate input apparatus, control apparatus, control system, and control method that suit operation forms of the input apparatus such as a pointing device.
There is also a need for an input apparatus, a control apparatus, a control system, and a control method with which an operational feeling that satisfies each user when a plurality of users use the input apparatus can be obtained.